ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire, April 12, 2023 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Narrative change organization Africa No Filter today announced the creation of a new fund to boost the careers of emerging African comedians .
The Africa No Filter Comedy Lab will fund comedians who use humor to tell exciting and new stories about Africa – far from narratives that perpetuate stereotypes of poverty, corruption, lack of leadership, conflict and diseases.
Successful applicants will receive a grant of up to US$3,000 to produce new content, as well as additional support in the form of mentorship by established professional comedians, a masterclass to boost the business of their humor and marketing support to amplify their work and public profile. Sketches produced as part of the Africa No Filter Comedy Lab will also be showcased at a digital event.
Moky Makura, Executive Director of Africa No Filter, said “We all know the multiple benefits of humor and know that laughter really is the best medicine. This is why we introduce humor into the narrative change space to alter some of these harmful narratives about Africa that still persist. Comedy is one of the fastest growing genres, especially for content creators on the continent, and it’s an opportunity for anyone who finds themselves funny to put their talent to good use. I’m very excited to launch the Comedy Lab and look forward to shining a light on the comedians who make us laugh and help us cope with the different
situations ».
The fellowship is open to African comedians – new, emerging and established – over the age of 18 and based anywhere on the continent. They must have a combined audience of 3,000 followers on Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook.
Most importantly, their humor must offer a fresh look at Africa and Africans, a look that uses comedy to show a dynamic, evolving and progressive continent. Winners will be selected by a panel of professional comedians and by public votes on social media.
All forms of comedy are welcome, provided they are presented digitally and meet the selection criteria.
François Bouda, artistic program manager of Africa No Filter, said “We are very excited to partner with the next generation of comedic talent in Africa. We don’t just want to celebrate, amplify and empower comedians to take their craft to the next level, we also want to make sure this opportunity is accessible by accepting applications in both English and French. We also encourage applications from women and comedians from all corners of the continent.”
Bouda added, “We want comedians to view the Africa No Filter Comedy Lab as a unique opportunity to enhance their skills and advance their professional careers; this is why this opportunity is not open to comedians who already have a contract with an agent or management company. Most importantly, we fuel the creative space with original and impactful content.”
The closing date for applications is 5 June 2023 at 6 p.m. GMT. Only submissions sent through ANF channels will be considered. For more information on Africa No Filter’s Comedy Lab, application process and tools to stand out, visit: http://africanofilter.org/ANF-Comedy-Lab-english
Distributed by African Media Agency on behalf of Africa No Filter.
Inquiries: [email protected].
About Africa No Filter
Africa No Filter is a grantmaking organization working to change stereotypical and harmful narratives about Africa through research, grantmaking, community building and advocacy. Our ultimate goal is to build a network of actors of narrative change who are committed to representing Africa beyond stereotypes. The donor group is funded by the Ford Foundation, Bloomberg, Mellon Foundation, Luminate, Open Society Foundations, Comic Relief, Hilton Foundation, and Hewlett Foundation.
To learn more about Africa No Filter, visit our website: www.africanofilter.org.
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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)